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Subscribe to RSSTim Pawlenty accused President Obama of being a "champion practitioner of class warfare."
“Elected with a call for unity and hope, he's spent three years dividing our nation,” the former Republican Minnesota governor, who’s running for president, said today at a speech on the economy at the University of Chicago. “And fanning the flames of class envy and resentment. To deflect attention from his own failures. And the economic hardship they have visited on America. "
Pawlenty took a dig at President Obama, asking the crowd about the "recovery summer" that the "President said we were having.” Noting unemployment and the nation’s debt, Pawlenty said the "president needs to enter economic rehab. And the American people need to stop his policies. Cold turkey."
Pawlenty proposed an overhaul of the tax code, calling the current on “anti-growth" and that "it's main goal --- seems to be to generate campaign contributions. Not jobs." He suggested the rate be reduced from 35% to 15%, adding that it’s "littered with special interest handouts --- carve-outs --- subsidies --- and loopholes." He said that a reduction would "reduce cronyism --- favoritism --- and government manipulating markets for political purposes."
Pawlenty later called for what he termed "The Google Test," and said that if the American people "can find a good or service on the Internet, then the federal government probably doesn’t need to be doing it."
He also called for the elimination of the U.S. Postal Service, the Government Printing Office, Amtrak, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
"The post office, the government printing office, Amtrak, Fannie and Freddie were all built for a different time in our country,” Pawlenty said. “When the private sector did not adequately provide those services."
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But not GOP/T-Bagger Class warfare.
Take note of what this author says
After-all, just as I detailed in my book As I See It: Class Warfare The Only Resort To Right Wing Doom all Reagan did to pump the economy up was to reduce taxes substantially as spending increased, Keynesian economics on steroids. He got a big bump in employment but not near what Clinton got with increasing taxes more so on the wealthy responsibly while holding the growth of spending to match the revenue reality.
The reason the latter worked did not require rocket science. The marginal propensity to consume of the lower classes is much higher than the rich. As such more economic activity is generated if income is not allowed to massively accumulate to the top. It is a simple mathematical fact. Bush further tax cuts with no regulation further destroyed the economy as the windfall went overseas to profit a few in America as middle class lost its manufacturing base and many professional jobs.
The policies by today’s Republicans is unpatriotic and will be the demise of the country. Until the masses wake up and understand the chaos that is on the horizon, the more profound the demise will be.
"How my G.O.P. destroyed the U.S. economy." Yes, that is exactly what David Stockman, President Ronald Reagan's director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed piece, "Four Deformations of the Apocalypse."
Get it? Not "destroying." The GOP has already "destroyed" the U.S. economy, setting up an "American Apocalypse."
http://politicaltruths.info/2011/01/03/reagan-insider-gop-destroyed-economyndashmarketwatch-p2-tcot-teaparty-2.aspx
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How needs a book for the obvious?
For decades in this country, the rich have been getting fabulously richer while the middle class becomes poorer and poorer. The GOP has been waging class warfare for decades. They just don't want the rest of us to fight back.
I think the practices of Big Business and the uber rich have created the class divide in this nation. They killed the middle class. They outsource technical jobs, increase service sector jobs, and eliminate all small business competition to the corporations. They feed by buying congress and judges to continue making decisions that are not fair, ethical, or moral, or even what helps people, what feeds the right-wing agenda of putting millions of americans into slavery and under the thumb of big brother.
In 2010 the average CEO’s pay rose on average 27% while the average workers grew by 2%!
NOPE - NO class warfare going on here! ;o)
Meanwhile,
I’m fascinated about just how low taxes must go before the Teapublicans are pacified?
Under the newest scheme introduced by Sen. Paul Ryan¸ he proposes lowering current corporate tax levels from 35% to 25% even though the corporate tax rate is the lowest it’s
been in 60 years!
We were promised that if the Bush Tax Cuts were extended, business would resume hiring because they would no longer face the uncertainty.
Well guess WHAT? We paid the ransom to the extortionists and they still haven’t released the hostages…
Even after the CBO has determined that cutting corporate taxes is not a significantly effective way to jump start job creation, the Teapublican Party has doubled down on all or nothing!
http://www.cbo.gov/budget/budget.cfm
Holy crap and I thought he was suppose to be the sane Republican. Talk about fanning the flames. I cannot wait for the Republican primary when all of the GOP/TPers have to pony up to differentiate themselves from each other.
It is rather shocking that Obama put such overtly racist and class warfare provisions in Obamacare. For example Obamacare REQUIRES medical schools to DISCRIMINATE in favor of minorities in admissions and REQUIRES hospitals to DISCRIMINATE in favor of minorities in hiring. Wasn't Obama supposed to be the "post racial" President or is discrimination BY MINORITIES now LEGAL under the Obama regime?
____________________________________________________________________________________
The "Affordable Patient Care and Protection Act" has NOTHING to do with making health care affordable or protecting patients. According to the GAO Obamacare has ACCELERATED HEALTH CARE COST INCREASES far above and beyond what would have happened in the ABSENCE of OBAMACARE and that is without all the TAX INCREASES HIDDEN throughout THE OBAMACARE FRAUD BILL.
Oh PUH-lEEEZE.
Class warfare?
What would T-Pawty know about it, the man ain't got no culture!
It's the GOP/TP that is trying to destroy the America middle class. The President is merely trying to preserve the middle class because we're the ones who pay the taxes and get things done. Without us the country will become a Tea Party Aristocracy led by Paul Revere Palin and all the other re-writers of history.
Gimme a break Timmy.
Obama/Biden 2012
Finally, a Republican admits to the mess they created. Ha!
Pawlenty, don't be like the other presidential wannabe clowns--this is such a joke. The corporate tax rate could be lowered to 5% and it wouldn 't matter because of all the loopholes, "cronyism --- favoritism --- and government manipulating markets for political purposes" that's been going on during years of Republican administrations.
The data, statistics, economists -- all show the exact opposite of the lies Pawlenty and the GOP/TP claim. Their supporters hate facts. But it takes more than 20% or even 40% to have majority support.
The GOP/TP, who even now aretrying to abolish the Dodd-Frank finance reform, Eric Cantor caught on video reassuring speculators (the folks who make the price of gas skyrocket) that Republicans will do what ever they can to block regulation of Wall Street, and a laundry list of obstructionism that's been going on since 2008.
The GOP/TP won't come out and say it, but what they really want is a Plutocracy (rule by the rich), and they want President Obama and the Dems to stop fighting against it. BTW Pawlenty, President Obama already proposed an end to Fannie and Freddie on February 14, 2011--old news there.
It is difficult for a Republican to find just the right balance of bat chit crazy and outlandish rhetoric; but, by golly, this guy appears to have pawlenty of both.
My first thoughts exactly, and I thought Gingrich is the only one who is half intelligent (note the word "half"), but like Biden speaks the truth too often and gets into trouble.
And as I continued to read the article I realized all these GOP/TPers are just sixth graders. Whether it's Eric Cantor submitting a bill to over-ride the Senate if the Senate did not agree with the House (WTF?), or Sarah Palin making up an answer as if in school when the teacher asks about Paul Revere, we are now seeing the new Republican "strategery."
It's like getting into a disagreement with a sixth grader, who tries to turn the table and use your own arguments against you, because s/he has no ground to stand on. I agree, it will be interesting to see all these sixth graders debate each other.
People may dislike politicians with a law background, but at least they've learned formal logic and debate, which is MUCH preferred to the Sean Hannity-style talking points or Glenn Beck Chalkboard guilt by association. President Obama and the Democratic leadership at least speak in a way that shows them to be the adults in the room.
Bev., try The Progress Report, 6/6/11, "Ten Years of the Bush Tax Cuts., excellent article, which shows exactly how the Bush tax cuts helped to destroy and divide our nation, widening the gap, in other words the biggest "class warfare" in history. Bush should be tried for treason for what he has done to the US.
And on top of that he's a war criminal.
General tax policy is a different issue than what private citizens choose to do with their money and how much they pay their employees. I do agree to some extent that "morale" of the workforce needs to be a bigger factor in deciding executive compensation packages. However given increasing tolerance for the government to directly interfere with the decisions private citizens can make, it probably won't be long before there are superficial "curtailments".
General tax policy does not exist in a vacuum but is generally discussed as if it has no effect on Americas ability to compete in the world economy. What is not generally discussed due to it's sensitive nature on international relations, is that economies in the world today that have not enacted a broad range of environmental and social responsibility principles are "out competing" us, which in some ways is a euphemistic way of saying:
"If the world is willing to tolerate economies built on unhindered exploitation of labor and environment, the world is not going to be able to tax at a margin rates expected from past decades."
The question now is not so much what is "fair" but what does America need to do to support it's industries against a growing and modernizing world economy. We already see these effects in our trade deficit. Making it more expensive to do business in America is not going to help.
The POTUS can't do much alone. He must have the other branches of government, the private sector, and the people to help him.
This all comes down to long-held supply side economic beliefs that the right-wing refuses to let go of. It's mind-boggling that after a decade of pitiful job creation they still cling to "trickle-down" tax cuts for the rich, or that lowering tax rates for businesses already evading most, if not all taxes will create incentive for them to hire.
After the economic meltdown, it's crazy talk to say deregulation is the solution. The most ridiculous idea in voodoo free market philosophy is the "invisible hand" and how the market corrects itself. Perhaps after we've been sent back generations to the Dark Ages--but don't worry your pretty little head about that part. They love this superstition, though Adams never used the term, while they ignore his early writings that capitalism only works with ethics and charity.
Aside from the social contract and protecting the general good, government has an important role beyond defense. Pawlenty--progressives don't care if the US Postal Service is broken up and taken over by UPS, FedEx and DHL--go ahead, go for it. But I'll bet most people like government-run public schools so that all children can get an education, and they like government-run military (instead of Haliburton or Xe), and they like government-run prisons. Guess what, they like Medicare and Social Security too.
Get over it conservatives, we've been a hybrid from day one. And lookie-see, aspects of socialism are compatible with capitalism and democracy--I'm not saying to become socialists, but it's not the "evil" that Grover Norquist, Roger Ailes, Dick Armey, the Koch Brothers and all the Big Oil tycoons would have you believe. We have to be about people and not just profits if we want to remain a leader in the world.
If Republicans can't join the 21st century, they will be left behind. Let's just hope they don't take the rest of us down with them.
Returning to the days of unsafe and filthy sweat shops and child labor is not the way to compete. In fact it is the opposite, known as "terms of trade." We must export, and those exports need to be finished, high-tech goods. We are now like a third-wold country exporting raw goods of agriculture, lumber, and steel. Our manufacturing has been off-shored along with the jobs--thanks to decades of deregulation, tax loopholes, and laissez faire days during Bush/Cheney.
Our government (which includes the GOP/TP) needs to get it together, and start investing in production HERE, beginning with an infrastructure stimulus. And if it takes carrots and sticks to get the greedy corporations to hire here, or stronger trade agreements to level the playing field, than friggin' do it now.
Frankly, Pawlenty was expecting something less partisan from a negro socialist antichrist.
Toasty - Thanks for the insights from 1950.
these guys think we've already had a class war, and that they won.
they dont realize that we let them win.
and that anytime we want to get serious, we can freakin crush them.
TO: Madison From NY who wrote:
"It is rather shocking that Obama put such overtly racist and class warfare provisions in Obamacare. For example Obamacare REQUIRES medical schools to DISCRIMINATE in favor of minorities in admissions and REQUIRES hospitals to DISCRIMINATE in favor of minorities in hiring. Wasn't Obama supposed to be the "post racial" President or is discrimination BY MINORITIES now LEGAL under the Obama regime?"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What's shocking is some people's audacity to think that they should ALWAYS be at the front of every line, and why should that be, because you're so uppity? Don't you have your own doctor that Republicans SOOOOO feared would cause them to wait too longer in their doctor's waiting room.
Why would anyone ASSUME that minorities should ALWAYS end up at the back of the line? It doesn't seem that some people really understood the meaning behind the words "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
"Shocking" isn't it?
Flashypaws, well, we'd better get busy soon! True Patriot, great posts.
What a remarkably dumb thing to say about the government not providing any services that a person can google. Bet this idiot doesn't come out and say that we should do away with soliders even though I can google private security firms like xE and Blackwateresque firms that would gladly be a private military. I guarantee you that this dumb statement becomes a wart the Tim Pawly Shore never gets rid off. Bank on it... This comment marks the moment he looks back on and says he F'd up.
Thanks, michelle, you too.
In regard to "terms of trade" and exporting finished, high-tech goods, this requires an educated and skilled workforce. Why has education become so expensive (or health care)? If we look at the top of anything including private health insurance, the administrators, like CEO's are getting paid out-of-proportion incomes (per Feisty's earlier post).
Does anyone remember professionally-managed pension plans, health care that included dental...and vision, does anyone remember profit sharing in which employees were given shares in the company? Does anyone remember loyalty to employees, even generations working for the same company, and the gold-watch and party upon retirement?
The day the GOP/TP quits gutting investment in the future, like education (or infrastructure), and comes up with legislation to "Restore the American Dream" is the day pigs will sing.
You say "we're too broke to invest in the future"? Really? China is doing it (and every one but us). It's all about priorities.
the party of NO saying Obama is divideing America .. the only thing the republicans want is ..there way or no way .. anything else is seen as divideing the country ... the mans a joke he needs to put on his big boy pants and tell the American People what his plan is .. not just cry Obama is wrong .. the trouble is neither Pawlenty ,Palin ,Paul ,Perry ,Pinnochio, or Romney have a plan .. all they have is "they dont like Obamas plan" unless you call Ryans nightmare for Seniors a PLAN
Feisty - you have been reading to much activists rubbish. They are the one's promoting class warefare - not the right wingers.
What actually is going on is corporate board typically don't have a lot of people capable of being a good CEO or has the support of the board to become the CEO. The person they hire typically doesn't have a lot of loyalty and is really a mercanary who goes to the highest bidder. In a down time, the last thing they want to do is have that person jump ship - especially to a competitor.
The last company I worked for really fits that bill. If anything happened to the president they would have gone under. I can also tell you that he was promoted within - and in this down time they would be out of business except a previous owner bought back in.
As many bad examples of CEO's that exists - perhaps the brightest star is Mulallly at Ford. Bill Ford was smart enough to realize he wasn't good enough to be the CEO and landed Mulally. I'm sure GM would have loved to him - and I'd bet Ford would open the vault to to keep him.
BTW - promoting class warfare is in the KGB text book to destroy capitalism. Karl Marx was the first to promote the concept. It's real easy to do. All you have to do is say someone doesn't deserve what they are getting - leaving the masses destitute. In America - that could be you - provided you aren't lazy anddon't attack the accumulation of wealth. When you do attack them, those who have, uninvite you!
"It is rather shocking that Obama put such overtly racist and class warfare provisions in Obamacare. For example Obamacare REQUIRES medical schools to DISCRIMINATE in favor of minorities in admissions and REQUIRES hospitals to DISCRIMINATE in favor of minorities in hiring. "
No, it does not, though the Goldwater Institute, funded by the Koch Brothers, claims it does. The Affordable Care Act provides a program for 850 medical students from rural communities and underrepresented minorities. It does NOT require anyone to discriminate.
"According to the GAO Obamacare has ACCELERATED HEALTH CARE COST INCREASES far above and beyond what would have happened in the ABSENCE of OBAMACARE and that is without all the TAX INCREASES HIDDEN throughout THE OBAMACARE FRAUD BILL."
Perhaps you could find a link from the latest GAO report stating what you claim. Here is a direct quote from the GAO:
"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contained a number of provisions designed to control the growth of health care costs. The full implementation and effectiveness of these cost control provisions, which are reflected in the Baseline Extended simulation, would markedly improve the long-term outlook."
They go on to say they are concerned as to whether the cost control measures are fully sustainable over the long run, so an additional simulation was run. There is NEVER a mention of HCR increasing healthcare costs. See here:http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11451sp.pdf
What more proof do you need of Obama's fomenting of class warfare than the rabidly ignorant posts defending him displayed here?
If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you weren’t a racist, you’d better
vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you’re not an idiot.
The gop/teabags don't give one sh!t about the working man & woman....PERIOD!...class warfare?the last ten years the rich have never been richer!..& the middleclass/poor have never been poorer,why?! because of the tax-cut the gop/teabags said we needed,when we where starting WAR up in Iraq,they said we willl have more jobs,where are they?...Then this President comes in with 2 unfunded wars(rich not paying taxes to help pay for these wars)unfunded medicare part d, A recession, talking about handouts?...what the hell do you call subsidies to the oil oligarchs,farmers etc.?...WELFARE!.....ah,forget about that poor boy/girl down the street who really needs it. class warfare will be the working man & woman taking over this land in 2012.....the gop/teabags oversteap their bounds(see Wisconsin Ohio,Indiana)WHEN YOU DIRECTLY GO AFTER THE WORKING MAN'S/WOMAN'S PAY,BENEFITS,COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS..YOUR MESSING WITH THEIR LIVELY-HOOD,THIER FAMILIES,THEN YOU KNOW YOU FU-K UP BIG-TIME!...WE WILL SEE WHERE THESE HATING GOP/TEABAGS WILL BE AFTER 2012 COMES AROUND......HOPEFULLY THROWN OVER THE SIDE OF A CLIFF...DAM SURE WE WON'T LET THEM GO AFTER OUR MOTHERS AND FATHERS MEDICARE/MEDICAID.....THE RETHUGS OPENED A CAN OF WHIP-ASS THEY HAVE NEVER KNOWN!.....THEY SHOWED THEIR TRUE COLORS........WE WITH GOOD HEARTS,LOVE FOR FELLOW MAN/WOMEN/CHILDREN WILL NEVER LET THESE CUT-THROATS HURT US AGAIN WITH THEIR BRAIN WASH B.S......The gop/teabags fuc-k up big-time,now they will pay BIG-TIME!...WATCH,WAIT,LISTEN.......Obama/Biden 2012
I find it comical that people can be so sure about the motives of an entire voting block that they hate so much - this is what is commonly known as bigotry. There is no "gop/teabags" with a single voice or a single opinion, and to state an entire party "don't give one sh!t about the working man & woman....PERIOD!" is beyond silly.
The truth is that the statements made by Pawlenty are true - Obama has ridiculed members of the opposing party in congress. He has denigrated those who disagree with him. He has shown little respect for the office he holds, instead flaming the fires of hate and bigotry - just read the liberal rants above or on any day on the vine. The hatred is palpable.
We should hold our elected officials to a standard of decency, and especially our President.
Ridicule, saying things like "sit in the back" to the opposing party - well, it's a sideways racist slam, and meant to demean. This is not fitting for a sitting President, or for any President for that matter.
So you liberals keep spewing the hate, justify it however you like - it is unbecoming, shows a shallowness as well as a weakness and makes clear just how vulnerable you and your party really is.
A confident party and people have no need to put others down, and certainly bigoted statements show your fear.
Of course there is a concerted effort to unseat Obama. Look at the withholding of cash from the market, and/or manufacturing investment dollars speeding overseas, lack of hiring while productivity in the US is slowing, lack of investment in expansion at a time when many overseas markets are buying, and lastly, most telling, a concerted effort to stop government spending at a critical time in the Nation's economic recovery. And who may this be directing all this, the same people driving up the price of oil, the Big Six Banks, and their drivers. Now with all his pluses, and he has too many to enumerate here, Obama should be reelected but the American voter is not a very informed person. This is easily proved, just look at the results of the last election. In fact if every American were forced to read the just WSJ we would never have a Republican in office again, and that is a very conservative rag. Take the fear and emotion out of politics and bingo, Democrats forever, which is also not a good thing.
In response to Paul F, it is easy for those that favor either the right or the left to make an arguement for how they feel, this is obvious. Of course the post that you are referring to may be stepping over the line a bit, but one can never understand where someone is coming from until they walk a day in their shoes. I may be easy for you to just figure that this individual is an ignorant person and substantively uneducated by ridiculing the words and calling it silly. But the words written are words of anger and resentment. The individual may have some actual hardships that they are dealing with that are intertwined with the apparent depletion of the middle class. People are trying to survive, make something for themselves, and there is real pain out there. It isn't just made up and silly.
Look, both sides of the of the political spectrum has some real issues. Democrats can't stand on their own two feet and when they do, they end up relenting and giving in. Republicans can't back down and act with adolescent behavior if things do not go their way. Republicans blame the media the minute they don't get a fair shake, while Democrats are scared of the media that they will be exposed to much. The bigotry that you speak of is not a right or left thing, it is a political thing. Do I think that Republicans hate the middle class? No I don't think that at all, but I do feel that they have a misrepresented understanding of the middle class.
You are right to say that the GOP and Teabags, as you had put it, don't have a single opinion or single voice against the working man. The GOP and Tea party are different. One is an actual political parties that right or wrong has agendas and plateforms to stand on. The Tea party is a "grass roots" movement of people that have a wide range of agendas that may or may not overlap, but do seem to have one common goal...the belief that our country is on the wrong path with the Obama doctorine running the White House. Are you actually saying that "A confident party and people have no need to put others down, and certainly bigoted statements show your fear" But in the commentary before you talk about spewing hate and how it is unbecoming and shallow. Liberals are not the only group spewing hate, Conservatives do as well. I am not saying what the individual wrote is right but at least it comes from a place of real concern and real honest feeling. The things that the the individual or the middle class for that matter is feeling is real, it is not some doctored up notion of what this country is coming to by using political gains and fear tactics. The class warfare is real, it isn't a misconception of political posturing and falsehoods talked about from political pundits. The war on the classes in society is not being recognized by the upper class, because at this time, they have all the power and the talking points. It is very easy for those to look down and say that the concerns of these individuals are less important than others. You may think it is comical that people can be so sure of the motives of an entire voting block, it isn't funny when you are scared of what is actually happening to your family while the other side has fear because of what may or may not happen to their family. Is it funny to worry when you are making less at your new job and you can't make things go and you are loosing your house?
This is the aggressor accusing the protector. This is a cheap shot to inflame the right with their outward and latent prejudices and makes the Republican's believe they are members of the upper and superior class... or at least are POTENTIAL members... the laugh's on them though... 98% of them don't have the upper 2% pass-card.
I agree! Obama has caused the rifts in this nation to expand greatly
"Class Warfare". That's pretty funny, right there, coming from a Teapublican and all......
Make NO mistake - class warfare is very real here in the good ol U S of A!
The 2% uber rich CONTROL this country and toss the rest of the 98% some cake crumbs when convenient OR to keep us in line!
The one and only thing Obama has done well is to deeply divide the country between the wacko left and everyone else! Congratulations Mr. President!
miked - And you sure run into the wacko left here on FR.
This country is sick and tired of the wacko left. The Obama administration is going to end up being a good thing for America because we have seen their agenda and most Americans hate it. If the left thinks they got shellacked last election they better hold on at the next one. It isn't going to be a pretty sight for the likes of nasty red head and her ilk. I'm going to love to watch their train wreck.
As Warren Buffet once said, there HAS been class warfare in this country, and his class (the wealthy) won it.
Feisty - Cake crumbs?.....Really?......do you get yours in a box, a bag or what?...do the "uber rich" throw it by the road from their Rolls Royce's near the mud hut where you live?........and how frequently? daily? weekly? monthly? ...........Honestly.....where do you get this stuff?....Class warfare? ......are you talking about people with class? and people without class?
And
Exhibits A and B for the truth of the existence of the Overton Window principle. Exhibits C - Z would be Fox Propaganda, I mean, Fox "News."
Seriously, where do you guys get off? You think just because you claim "it's his policy, he's a commie and a socialist," we'll just fall into line and say "well, you're right, obviously, despite the fact that he actually SEEMS like a slightly right-of-center leader?" Do you think those of us with actual BRAINS would just say "oh, look at that, he's actually implementing a national health care reform policy that has been attempted or at least touted by every president for the past 110 years, he must be a fascist?" Do you people even know what the words coming out of your mouths (or keyboards) actually mean anymore?
Well, my answer to Madison, NY, miked, JH, and all the other delusional morons out there, is open your freaking eyes. Get a clue. Get educated (this means more than reading Glenn Becks "autobiography" for the 3rd time). Talk to REAL PEOPLE, not the next blonde f*ckwit Fox decides to hire who's bra size is bigger than her IQ.
Yeah yeah, Feisty and the other regulars around here may SEEM to be commie, socialist fascists (I won't get into the finer points of discussing the differences between those three things, as you seem to be only educated enough to understand words with fewer than two syllables). I assure you, they're not even close. Your pathetic cries of "Give me liberty or give me death" are being answered, or rather prompted, by those who would gladly give you slavery and death. You seem to live in Ayn Rand FantasyLand (TM), where everyone is a completely intelligent consumer with all the time in the world to look up facts about products and services with no other demands on their time and the capability of determining the best-suited one for their needs, where companies always tell the truth because it is "too costly" for them to lie because some die-hard truth fanatic will always out them and never be disbelieved or shunned by society, where the "invisible hand" of the market will do something aside from giving you and your corporate overlords the mental masturbation you seem so stuck on.
In other words, you can have your so-called freedom. I'll keep fighting you and the other scum like you who have no desire to progress beyond complaining about "how dare that poor person touched you. I mean, really, is a starving baby that the mother couldn't get an abortion even though she already has 2 kids and works 2 part-time jobs to feed, but every life is 'sacred', and so what if her boyfriend raped her? That's clearly her own fault, and since pregnancy and childbirth is a punishment, it's okay for us to let them all starve. Or at least the women and children. Clearly she was asking for it." Take your mentality and shove it where the sun don't shine.
Janstince - you are exactly what I meant. You are a potty mouthed, trash talking liberal. You guys are out of here next election. You live in some very strange place that I prefer not to go. President Obama is a failure as far as I'm concerned. The whole democratic party has been a failure since 2007.
jh- how do you presume to speak for "most americans"? the only ones you speak for are you and your particular set of friends who think exactly like you, which is why they are your friends. you got a poll or something to prove most americans are against their agenda?
My poll is the last election. You know, the one the the progressive/liberals can't quite seem to understand. They just keep trying to convince themselves that their way is the right way. The first thing they should do is get a viable presidential candidate for next year because our current president is such a failure even a billion dollars of advertising isn't going to cover his lies. We've seen that show before.
You mean the election where the republicans didn't even get both houses of congress?
"...a viable presidential candidate..." Hahaha <snort> haha! Yeh, right JH, it's the progressive/liberals who are delusional.
Gee the last election was in NY 26 how did that work out for ya JH. I got news for you if you can't win in a district like NY 26 you can't win anywhere. Paul Ryan is my new BFF.
Feisty - I forgot to say "cake crumbs" was a good-un. Marie Antoinette didn't really say "Let them eat cake" but it illustrates the class warfare at that time in France, which ended with her head in a guillotine.
We've had our own brutal days of slavery, Robber Barons, and the Gilded Age (that Ayn Rand so glorifies). That's what Teabaggers mean when they say they "want their country back." I say, give the GOP/TP a long rope and let them hang themselves--it's next best thing to the guillotine.
Thanks True!
Did I mention I've sworn off sweets? lol
In case no one else has said it, you are on FIRE today!
Janstince
Brilliant, simply brilliant. The following quote could easily describe myself when I was young. Then I grew up.
"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."
-John Rogers
Feisty, when you read garbage like that from Pawlenty, you go through the stages of grief -- first you double over with laughter, then swear profusely at such absurdity, then you go into shock, some may even throw up a little in their mouth or fall on their knees and pray -- we all deal with grief over the murder of our nation in our own way (don't look at the photos, it's gruesome).
AtomicZeppelinMan, thank you for that excellent quote.
The Repubicons/T-bagger have awakened a great sleeping giant and filled it with a terrible resolve...we'll see who's in office at the end of the next election.
Amen Doc... Amen!
FIRED UP & READY TO GO!
ol doc feisty, true pat now that i question, true pat of what. Betwixt the three of you's, you are all so full of crap that you're now spewing it out for all of us to see. How dare you speak of the repubs and Tea party members as the culprits here . Look no further than that parroting monkey in the oval office now. His socialist agenda will destroy this country if wise people don't do something come 2012. Someone once said more or less " The best way to destroy a democracy is take money from those who earn it and give it to those that don't. And that my friends is exactly what this parroting monkey is doing right now so as to insure his reelection in 2012. God help this country if that should happen but I think people have seen enough of his CHANGE. That was a pipe dream if ever there were one..
freddieboy, I could report your use of the name "monkey" as an inflammatory racist remark, but let it stand for all to see. You know, you need to get out more often, get out of that right-wing echo chamber and cone of silence. If you did, you'd know we have been discussing "money from those who earn it and give it to those that don't" through privatising profits and socializing debt, otherwise known as "redistribution of wealth" through corporate welfare and lining the pockets of the richest 2%.
Yes, True Patriot is my moniker, unlike the Teabagger "patriots" who wrap themselves in the flag, wear flag pins, and put those magnets on their car. The Teabaggers who drive on public roads to public parks to demonstrate hatred for our government with the protection of public law enforcement. The Teabaggers who collect disability, social security, use Medicare even Medicaid. The Something for Nothing Crowd who want all these nice things in our country but don't want to pay for it.
I've paid the highest tax rate most of my life (singly no children), and am thankful every day to live in this great nation.
@Janstince excellent post. I agree, just because you may have empathy for people, are willing to share with those in need, stand up for weak, comfort the old at the end of their lives, and yes reflect that in your government's policies and tax laws does not make you a socialist. As far as I know it does make you two things though, it makes you an American with a Christian's conscience.
“Elected with a call for unity and hope, he's spent three years dividing our nation, ...And fanning the flames of class envy and resentment. To deflect attention from his own failures. And the economic hardship they have visited on America. "
That sounds about right. I guess you would call that "An Inconvenient Truth".
JH -
Potty mouthed? Trash talking? Meh, surely you could do better than that? I mean, you did get an education of some type, somewhere, right? Was it Liberty University? That would figure.
Honestly, you think a little tone-trolling is going to be enough to change my mind? Let's put it out here, then. You want to oppress women, oppress homosexuals and pansexuals and transgenders and transexuals. You want to trod on the downtrodden, screw over those who have worked their whole lives for a pittance from your beloved masters, and throw everyone under the bus with you because gosh-darnnit, if it was good enough for you, nobody deserves any better. You probably think that "reverse racism" (yeah, like that's a real concept) is worse than "real racism." Same with "reverse sexism." You yearn for the good ol' days when men were men and women knew their place was either in the kitchen, bedroom, or delivery room. You think the "holocaust of the unborn" is an adequate explanation for removing the medical rights of women everywhere, and that every woman would be a lot happier if they just shut up about being raped and had their precious little baby. And yet, you seem to consider my language a greater shame. Pfffft!
You think that atheism is the worst thing that could happen to this country, and that secularism is some new-fangled incursion by the librul elitists who want to take away your jobs so some schmuck from mexico can do it. Here's a hint: secularism was touted by the founding fathers, only one of whom was an admitted atheist (though most were deists and a few had more atheist leanings). And it's not the liberals who want to take away your jobs.
You're so proud of the last election in which "jobs, jobs, jobs" was the rallying cry. Here's a hint: trickle-down economics is a BS proposal that has, time and again ever since Reagan, dug us deeper and deeper in debt with nothing but a spiralling credit rating and higher inflation rates to show for it. Where are the jobs bills? The stuff they kept saying they would fix within months? Why is it that as soon as they were "swept" into office (like the red tide), they suddenly had to start with attempting to remove women's rights and union rights and all the things that would ultimately cost jobs? Why is it that you snidely hide behind your veneer of "it's the economy, stupid" when you've done just about everything possible to avoid fixing it in favor of getting your fascist, privacy-invading, right wing religious, racist agenda passed?
Forrest Grump-
I appreciate the complement, and will take it as offerred. However, I'd like you to know that I'm an atheist, and I base my conscience on reason and empathy, not on Christian values. Thanks.
I mostly ghost on First Read, but today I'd like to make a comment. It's my opinion that most of the nasty comments that come from people on the Left are made because they have been goaded into it by the bile and half-truths asserted by the far Right. Those on the Right often claim to know the secret intentions of President Obama, and claim to represent and know what Americans want.
For the last decade, I've identified and voted as Libertarian. But lately the Libertarian party has been courting the Right, despite the fact that the only common ground they share is fiscal conservativatisim and a desire for limited government.
The truth is, our nation is in trouble. Both sides have their faults. But it seems to me that the Left's desire to help people is more noble than the Right's staunch embrace of religion and their non-stop litany of blaming others. I am a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. I think it is right to help people, but I also believe we must first find a way to pay for that help before we offer it.
As many on the Right proclaim, a fierce political battle is coming. Those on the Right are unwilling to compromise for the common good. So I've decided to do my part. Two weeks ago I changed my voter registration to Democrat, and after years as a Libertarian, it definately felt strange to check that box on the form. Next week I will attend the montly meeting of my county's Democratic party, and I will offer to volunteer. I've met them once, and they have my respect already as they are willing to calmly discuss the merits of both sides of an issue.
So while those of you on the Right will not see me on First Read every day wasting my time arguing with no hope of changing your opinion, you should know that I'll be stuffing envelopes and knocking on doors to strengthen the party of your enemy. Hell, I might even run for local office!
Oh, and like a poster above, I am an Atheist. My morals don't come from the Bible or from a preacher, my morals come from my dedication to the human race.
***stands & applauds Dave***
During the 2008 election, I campained with a libertarian for Obama!
He introduced me to cheese curds up in WI! lol
Welcome to the party - we're not perfect but when you look at the alternative... ;o)
Dave,
Welcome! and Thank You! I was raised an Okie Republican and a Christian by parents who really didn't know G-d. Back then I really thought I knew it all. After many years of finding myself, I ended up out of state with work and realized how LITTLE I knew about anything. I married a Jewish man who describes himself as Culturally Jewish; but not religious. I have always described myself as spiritual; but not HOLY. In private Lutheran High School I was the administration's nightmare. I questioned everything. I guess I set about researching and reading everything I could about a whole lot of things. I am very guilty of partisanship and bickering; but I try to limit my response to the most eggregious offenders. About half of my Facebook friends are Republican and I tend to be pretty pragmatic in my conversations. I know there are MANY who don't like my snarkasm; but it serves a purpose, I guess. If I've ever personally offended you, I apologize now.
Happy canvassing! PS. Where are you from?
@Janstine
Forrest Grump-
"I appreciate the complement, and will take it as offered. However, I'd like you to know that I'm an atheist, and I base my conscience on reason and empathy, not on Christian values. Thanks."
Your welcome, I did not mean to imply that you are, or should be a Christian to be an American. I hope it was not taken that way, I just meant that those qualities are what the Christian faith indicates is the right thing to do, as do many other religions. Freedom in this country means you can be any religion you want to be, or none at all, it should matter not, and it matters not to me. A good and honest person, is no less of a good and honest person no matter their race, color, or creed, that is the essence of freedom in our country. I admire your moxy and your willingness to speak up for the people that many in our society would rather completely disregard.
That same 5% of the population pays 95% of the taxes, the whiners on this blog are most likely the 47% that pay no taxes at all!
Class Warfare is feeding trillions to the rich while there are people anywhere in the world starving or homeless. I don't care how useless you think that person is, in a moral society you give them food and a home, period.
"...in a moral society you GIVE THEM food and a home, period." (emphasis added)
Obviously, you are a big-government liberal. A conservative would teach them something useful to do so they can obtain food and a home THEMSELVES, not handed to them on a silver government platter and paid for off the backs of others.
Sean, except the right create no jobs. They outsource them. If buy training them, you mean to teach them pick fruit in a field, clean a hotel room, and generally serve the 2% uber rich, then you're on track with typical right-wing rhetoric.
Hey Cygnus, remind me again which President enacted NAFTA and pushed the United States into the "global economy" with China during the 1990's? That's when the problem of outsourcing really began -- and I'm pretty sure he WASN'T a Republican. And if you start your own small business, how could that possibly be outsourced?
I believe in the "teach a man to fish" principle. But what conservatives are pushing is not even teaching a man to fish, it is more like, "there are fish, good luck catching some!"
Sean
I hear Eric Cantor is doing EVERYTHING in his power to help those folks in Joplin who HAD a home.
Oh, wait, nevermind. He's NOT. In fact, he is holding the FEMA funds hostage like a petulant school child. By Cantor math, these suckers are just leaches on society now.
This isn't playing well in uber conservative Joplin. But carry on with more of that compassionate conservatism. We just LOVE it.
fuzzy, perfect simile.
Disergo, as long as you wish to pay for it, which you can by giving away everything you've got to charity, go for it. But don't be so generous with my tainted money. You know, the money that taint yours!
Poor people wouldn't be so poor if they would strive to achieve more out in life than a bigger slice of free government cheese.
What is this give crap? Give what, a home, car, house, cell phone, flat screen TV, what? What does that end? Everyone should work and earn what they get period, bottom line. If you have a mental illness or you are sick, you can take what others can give you but everyone starts out in life in the same race and go to school to learn a skill that one day can EARN them a living. If you fall off track, get back on track and earn it. No one gives anyone anything unless you are taking care of your family or donating to a charity. Everything else it taken from us to GIVE to others who went off track. Not my problem or concern as you cannot take care of everyone.
Clara KCMO I tried to explain that to them in a post a couple of days ago, they don't understand the area, it is probably more republican than NY 26. If they can't win in Joplin they can't win period. Its a shame those people are being punished by the republican party in which they put their faith in. Call it republican on republican violence if you will. Eric Cantor has no clue what he started in one of the only states that voted for John McCain inspite of Sarah Palin. Eric Cantor is Claire McCaskels new best friend and Joplin's new enemy number one.
That's right Sean, and the way you do that is by taxing poor people and the elderly to give the Koch brothers an extra tax cut.
Clara KCMO - You forgot to add the part about Eric Cantor, et al, approving all the foreign aid over all the years without once demanding a tax cut off-set. I mean, if it's our own, American people suffering due to not fault of their own, screw them. But no problem helping Haiti or Japan. I'm not saying to turn our backs on Haiti, it's just how bizarre and outrageous the Republicans have become with their hypocrisy.
Great stuff here. The most common objections to Pawlenty's comment seem to always include some reference to the evil, evil wealthy, and how they're getting rich of the backs of the middle class, etc. Think about that for a sec, in the context of what Pawlenty said.
The stupidity of people amazes me. I mean seriously. Wow.
Arguing for fairness isn't "class warfare," Billy Ray.
BillyRay, since you feel you are so much more intelligent than the rest of us, why don't you think about that for a sec, then YOU explain the context of what Pawlenty said. Swoop and poop posts are really annoying.
TO: miked-332794 who wrote:
The one and only thing Obama has done well is to deeply divide the country between the wacko left and everyone else! Congratulations Mr. President!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bush divided this country when he lied to us about EVERYTHING and Republicans raced to his rescue for no good reason other than he was a Republican, and allowed Bush to stay in office where Bush could do the most damage to this county, and he certainly did.
Bush lied his way into office, lied us into war, wrecked our economy, and now Republicans just can’t remember a single thing.
Norm don't be so generous with my money, I paid more taxes than GE so did you, you are not supporting some poor person you a supporting GE you do understand that don't you.
This argument is stupid. Everybody is whining about someone else who has more. I'll bet nobody posting on here is starving. Go out and get it! Quit sticking your hand out like a street bum. If your concerned about the poor, give or volunteer to a charity. Get educated. Get motivated. Learn a trade. Sell your skills. People are paid according to their value. Make yourself valuable. The "rich" didn't steal from anybody. They earned their money. They had a good or service that people voluntarily bought.
The government has enough money. They waste it. They don't deserve any more. If your concerned about fair taxation, a flat tax is the only fair solution. Everybody pays the same percentage, no exceptions. That's fair. No one can claim someone else paid less. Case closed. Quit whining!
Class warfare doesn't begin because one group is jealous of the money earned by another. Class warfare begins when the scales of opportunity, education, justice tips to the wealthy because for the average person the opportunity is out of reach. Class warfare is alive and well.
Corporate America is not paying sufficient tax. The idea that the rate for corporations is too high and must be lowered is ludicris.
Why would Corporations need a tax break at this time? Perhaps to donate more to the RNC.
Thorndawg: how exactly do you know that the rich didn't steal from anybody. They earned their money? Just how do you know? Assumption?
Raise the taxes on the wealthy, the corporations. Get rid of lobbyists in Washington and no more PACs. Campaign funds to be carefully distributed and donors tracked and announced.
When was the last time someone put a gun to your head and made you buy gas, or food, or clothes, or anything else. The "rich" earned their money by selling to you and millions of other people who agreed to pay their price. Only the government can take without promising anything in return, under penalty of law. Yes, the "rich" earned their money.
Thorndawg:
Many are trust fund babies and/or dividend and interest recipients. Yes, you're right there are some who actually earn their money. But there are numerous individuals who have not and many who have earned their money through less than legal endeavors.
And correct me if I am wrong, but last I've looked food, clothes and even gasoline to a certain extent are necessities and necessities are necessary for living.
yea class warfare, you know, the lefts talking point of the rich not paying their fair share. you know that marxist crap this president and his loyal communist progressive totalitarian supporters live by. you know the reason this country has pathetic job growth. class warfare = kill the middle class small business owner. obamas motto.
What's that you are smoking, Joe?
'Kill the middle class small business owner'. Use your head, Joe.
Let's see what's in it for Obama: Small business owners do most of the hiring. Obama's re-election depends on unemployment going DOWN, not UP. So.......I ask again: what's his motivation, here, in knowcking off small business owners?
His motivation is to get as many people as he can working for the government so they come to depend on it instead of depending on themselves. Not too hard to understand, honestly.
Don't forget that the Oil Execs have done more than their fair share in killing small business and their dreams!!! And over 70% of their political contributions go to republicans.
You know Joe, it's amazing to me to hear people like you patch facts together. The standard of the democratic party has always been lift up the poor, raise the standard of living for everyone while the republicans have preached fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility and the free market to level the playing field.
Now under various circumstances either of these can be good and work well. The problem is Big Business has come to run the government and they've twisted and perverted both of these very simple goals to their benefit while squeezing everyone that is not rich. They canted the playing field so far in their favor it's nearly impossible to even keep up let alone move ahead.
There is no possible way you can EVER justify saying a democrat is fomenting class warfare. it would be like saying a Republican is promoting abortion. It's just not what the party is about. It never has been and only a loon would make such a blatantly idiotic statement.
And yet you neo con followers of Glenn Beck who was a shock radio jock like Howard Stern before he came to Fox seem to have this idea that everything the Democrats have stood for as a party for decades is now a Republican platform and is under attack by the Democrats. Do you somehow not understand that giving everyone an opportunity is NOT class warfare unless you're rich?
Your words make no sense. Do you even understand the platforms of each party? Because when you talk I feel like I'm listening to the kid that shot the Congress-woman in Arizona. Crazy convoluted rhetoric that doesn't even follow a logical line of reasoning.
Sean-3072161
"His motivation is to get as many people as he can working for the government so they come to depend on it instead of depending on themselves. Not too hard to understand, honestly."
Cute explanaiton, but again- what's the payoff for him? Think hard, now. He can only serve two terms, max. What's in it for Mr Obama to have people depend on government??? This makes absolutely zero sense, but Rightwingers like to keep saying it. Tell me- what's the payoff?
You said it well MJ. I've been a voter for over 40 years and am appalled at the degree Republicans will go to distort the truth. Scratch that; I'm appalled at the way they will outright lie about anything and everything to forward their own agenda. I thought it couldn't get worse until this election cycle but I was wrong. I have never seen such blatant disrespect for a sitting President nor have I wittnessed this degree of hatred for the man in office. They aren't simply attacking his policies or platform, they are insulting and degrading him personally. They claim to be the real Americans yet disparage the man we elected as our leader. What better example do we have of their disregard for the will of the American people. They can't stand up and talk about what they would do if elected, how they would move to improve conditions for all of us because they aren't concerned with that. They were at the helm when the rich got richer, the poor got poorer, and unemployment rose. They acted in the best interest of the rich and screwed the remaining 98% of this country. They would take away benefits we paid into like social security, strip the elderly of affordable health care, deny benefits to the unemployed, gut education, cheer on the big banks as they foreclose on millions of families, and most of all, work hard to earn all the money given to them by special interests and the wealthy.
To the idiot that said Obama wants everyone to work in government jobs I say at least they'd have a job. What's the right wing plan to get the economy back on track? What's that? Oh, they don't have a plan. Not one they are willing to talk about that is.
I sincerely hope that the Repubs and the Teabaggers are soundly trounced by an electorate that sees them for what they are - lying scum without soul or conscience. There is no decency at all in right wing politics. From the movie "The American President", this country has serious problems and we need serious people to solve them. We need leaders we can believe in and to date no right winger fits the description.
You are wrong Fooled, they DO have a plan:
Joe -- 57% of tax evasion comes from the richest 5% to 2%, who are mostly doctors, lawyers, and investment bankers that don't create jobs. They are the so-called small business owners who file as individuals and self-report their income, in other words they lie about write-offs to show little or no income. The 1% uses tax shelters, and the rest of the tax evasion comes from corporations like Exxon Mobil and GE.
Asking this segment in our country to pay their fair share should be obvious even to folks with no high-school diploma. The W2 working class subjected to third-party reporting are NOT the ones evading taxes, and can no longer carry all the weight. Joe, et al, turn off Faux Noise (FOX) and Hate Radio (Savage, Limbaugh) and start getting your news from credible sources.
That's it in a nutshell. Why anyone would still support the GOP/TP is mind-bending.
true patriot, you need to pick different stats, like that half of all americans pay no federal taxes, the other half pays all. its not the poor paying federal taxes. and your right many small business owners, ( the job creators ) file as individuals. and if their business makes over 200g a year, they get hosed as badly as the ultra rich.just because your business clears 200 doesnt mean you do, after payroll and marxism, you may be lucky to clear 20g. o, and more rich folks means more revenue, less rich folks = less revenue. thats a fact jack. its not a pie, if you get rich, it takes nothing from me, it gives me an opportunity to earn ( not take ) money from you.
"His motivation is to get as many people as he can working for the government so they come to depend on it instead of depending on themselves."
Which would explain why government hiring has DECREASED for months now. Or not.
I am SO sick of joe's lie about half don't pay ANY tax. Since Social Security and Medicare are taken out of EVERY paycheck,...and we only have 9.1% unemployment, joe needs a new calculator or a new talking point. I don't care which.
ill settle for a fair tax clara, and no, you do not have a right to my labor.
True Patriot - "The 1% uses tax shelters, and the rest of the tax evasion comes from corporations like Exxon Mobil and GE."
And Obama gave GE CEO Immelt a government appointment to "job czar", along with the $14 BILLION tax gift to GE.
It's not really "evasion" when Obama is trading it for votes.
joe:
Clara does have a right to expect you to pay a fair amount of tax. You know for the pesky things like roads, bridges, public education etc.
pjam09:
The President did not write the tax code. Just a FYI. Also, to whom would you appoint to a job czar post? The pizza delivery guy? Trading that job posting for votes? How about giving more tax break to corporations to receive more RNC donations. That seems more likely.
stop please, than you support a fair tax also, thats great! and no you do not have a right to my labor.
Of course a large percentage of Americans don't pay taxes.
Those include children, those who are physically or mentally unfit to work, the sick, those to old to work(most paid taxes for MANY years), and those who are stay at home parents.
If someone isn't making $$, I don't expect them to be taxed.
Those who barely make enough to cover the overinflated cost of living(shelter/food/healthcare/clothes, should not be paying the same income tax rate as those who have("make") 100 times over the cost of living a comfortable lifestyle.
Those who break their backs doing things others think they are "too good for" and don't want to do(especially those employees who make the money for those at the top), should receive a fair/living wage.
And no, Obama didnt' give a $14 billion tax break to G.E.
Those loopholes and write offs(tax codes) G.E. used, were in place before Obama took office.
You can bet if Obama tried to change them, Boehner and buddies would be blocking it every way they could.
Mr. Pawlenty, his party, and their supporters have been waging war against the middle class since Reagan. The persident is leading us in the counter attack.
Kettle meet...what?
The "persident"? Your spelling abilities rival the substance of your so-called "argument".
While governor of Minnesota, Mr. Pawlenty was an ace when it came to class warfare. He waged it on the poor the middle class on behalf of Big Business and the wealthy in our State.
We used to call people who attacked the United States government traitors, or anarchists, today we call them Republicans.
And we call them Democrats, liberals and "progressives" (a misnomer if there ever was one).
Sean
From Webster's
LIBERAL: [person] who is open minded, or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional or established forms or ways
PROGRESSIVE: of, relating to or characterized by progress. Making use of or interested in new ideas, findings or opportunities.
Please at least read the dictionary before using terms you clearly do not understand.
Especially when someone like Gov. Rick Perry advocates secession from the union. He is yet another "not viable" GOP/TP presidential contender. He should be hung for treason, not running for any office, let alone POTUS.
Democrats are certainly filled with lots of regressives these days. Pushing for trains and windmills sets us right back in the 1800's. There's a reason we don't use them a lot today. And today's Democrat surely isn't open minded. They have become very dictatoral, and are working hard to limit Americans freedoms. Forcing us to eat what they want us to eat, drive what they want us to drive, give us the health care they feel we should have, putting up spy cameras in our cities. Democrats today certainly aren't liberal nor are they progressive.
Ramfla actually believes the labels accurately reflect the effects of the behavior of the people who carry them.
Ramfla, do you have priests babysit your children because they are "holy", "spiritual", "kind", "forgiving"...etc?
89 percent of Americans say the economy is in bad shape;
57 percent say the recovery has not started
66 percent said the United States was seriously on the wrong track.
"http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110607/pl_nm/us_poll_obama"
Why don't Americans see the "progress" or embrace the "liberalism"? because labels don't change reality.
The whole title of this story made me almost bust out laughing, if it wasn't so scary per usual these days wasn't such an attempt at misdirection.
The whole trick of claiming the person opposing you of exactly what your doing should be old by now.
BTW, I see what your doing there Thorndawg, someone throw's up a definition of progressive up there after people misuse it all the time and you switch to speaking about regression, at least your one of the smarter ones that picks up on that type of thing I guess. There are Democrats coming to your house forcing food down your throat? I hadn't seen an news on that one :P. Spy cameras would be homeland security or the local police and that's pretty much a worldwide thing these days anyways. Frig the DOT does it in large metro areas in the name of just traffic control on major highways these days, were do people get this stuff :)
All the people saying the GOP/TP all have varying opinions regardless of what they vote is all fine and dandy, the fact remains that whatever you believe matters not, it's the person you vote for to represent your views that counts.
So no matter what you personally believe, if your voting someone into office that is going to vote in favor of multinational companies, tax breaks for the rich, and further disillusion of the middle class how they get you to vote for them is irrelevant.
As long as you vote them in is all they care about.
As far as labels go pjam, Ramfla wasn't saying anything about a label changing reality, I pretty sure he was just pointing out that once again people were using them out of context in the first place.
I guess that went right over your head, because your post reflects not at all the point he was illustrating.
I think he might want to look into going to rehab. He's definately on somthing.
And it ain't charisma! lol
Well, he wouldn't want to go to rehab in any of the centers he built in Minnesota. His cost cutting produced very dangerous and under-staffed facilities.
The talking heads (driven by ratings) love to speculate on how someone with no charisma might team up with someone like Palin -- Of course I refer to her so-called charisma as "bad accident snark" that rubber-neckers slow down to see because they can't help themselves. The reality is Palin isn't running, and if she was, she would have to change the system to abolish the VP role because a "team player" or "second place" she can't do.
Good luck Pawlenty. Bachmann doesn't need you either, though she'll drop out soon enough. You better be nice to Hunstman, maybe Gingrich? Who else will there be, Sanctimoniuos Santorum? I wonder, is this God's retribution for all the Republican wickedness imposed upon the world?
Pawlenty the panderer...the GOP is trying not to let their class warfare become even more apparent to their FIXED NEWS viewers because 97% of us can still out vote the top 3% who control 90% of the wealth. That is their greatest fear. If the Tea-baggers and Rednecks actually woke up and realized they are voting against their own interests we could throw the bums out. However, as Forrest Gump would say, "Stupid is as stupid does."
And that 's whole lot of stupid!!!!!!!
Ummm, we knew that already but thanks for pointing that out. You might not want to follow that with race relations, the economy, education, banking, real estate, taxes,.........
is this a joke, when has pawlenty been right about anything? I mean, ANYTHING! This huckster is so craven in his need for acceptance and power, he will say simply anything to get elected. Tim Pawlenty is a coward, period.
Pawlenty's comments on class warfare are laughable and ludicrous.
Right-wing provocateurs are provoking fear, loathing, and controversy, mirroring the religious right's mission to divide the country into red/blue, good/evil, conservative/liberal, Christian/un-Christian factions. There is no room for the moderate middle in this "with us or against us" equation, as witnessed by the public shredding of moderate Republican politicians. Both Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are among two of the more prominent Republican figures that have become mouthpieces for the religious right. Their attempts to split a diverse, multi-cultural country into "pro-America" and "anti-America" factions have left little doubt who is to be considered patriotic and who is not. Those who are right-wing Christians, anti-abortion, anti-feminism, anti-gay, anti-evolution, anti-taxes, pro-gun, and pro-deregulation are patriotic. Everyone else is not.
With respect to cutting th tax rate, all that will produce is additional corporate profits that will not be reinvested into the economy or produce more jobs. Trickle down is a joke.
You got it Groucho business pays less of its profits to labor, and simultaneously less of it's profits in taxes, a recipe to destroy the middle class. GE pays no taxes, but everyone that works there does. If I keep all the profits and you pay all the bills how long till YOU get rich.
Your not rich yet, well lets try it again, give me more profit and a bigger tax break, now are YOU rich, no not yet. Well lets try it again give even more profit and cut my taxes again are YOU rich now, still no, well let's try it again, because I'm sure if you keep giving me more profit and charging me less taxes sooner or later it is bound to work and YOU will see those riches someday, if you don't starve to death first.
What do you mean it is not working, ok tell you what give me a 4 billion dollar subsidy on top of the tax cuts that ought to do it, that will put some bucks in YOUR pocket, I promise.
Gump - "GE pays no taxes, but everyone that works there does."
And now their CEO is further entrenched in our government thanks to a "job czar" appointment in exchange for "green economy" and "American renewal" propaganda support.
Is that what you call an improvement?
Class warfare? Of course, the rich are waging it against the rest of us.
Republican economic theory has already destroyed our economy. And the way I see it when it comes to economic issues Obama has done everything the republicans wanted with the exception of the stimulus (which countless economists have said helped our economy) , he kept the tax cuts, increased domestic drilling and is also campaigning on cutting domestic spending, so what gives republicans and tea baggers this ridiculous and completely original term "Obamanomics" seems remarkably similar to republican economics.
If the stimulus helped the economy, how is the unemployment rate still above 9% after it was promised it wouldn't go above 8% if they threw a trillion dollars at it? And if you trace where most of the "stimulus" money went to, it went to state construction (union) jobs... which everybody knows turns around and makes huge donations to the Democratic Party. The "stimulus" was nothing but a slush fund.
Sean,
Only 9% of the stimulus was used for infrastructure jobs while 30% went for tax cuts.
Dennis, and where did you get your numbers? Because they certainly don't jive with what the WSJ had reported:
Sean, you ignorant slut...the stimulus was only about $800 some odd billion...most economists predicted that was not enough and the result we have now.
Sean,
Much of the money went to Cities and States (nearly 50%) that saved Government employee (Fire & Police) and Teacher jobs. So while it may have saved union jobs it was not “construction” union jobs.
http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Not even going to justify pat's post with a reply. I'll just say I think you've earned yourself a ban. Hope it's permanent!
Technically, Sean,
Pat's post was a PARODY. A perfectly acceptable use of language. If you don't get the reference, I am sorry you are offended. But it is really a hysterical send up to the SNL cast of old. Good one, Pat!
Dlenis Ohilo,
Glad you sent address for Recovery.gov, where every penny has been tracked. As I remember, you can look state to state, detailed breakdowns, data maps, weekly financial and activity reports. Remarkable indeed.
Pat - So the new defense of the massively useless "stimulus" is that is that it didn't waste enough?
Pat is right, most economists believe the stimulus money should have been more actually, as most of it went to the large multinationals who just at it up in profits and bonus's.
When you're in a war, declared or undeclared, I guess you have to fight back. Keep it up, Obama.
Sure Obama, just keep up the good work. Take another vacation. Play some more golf. Suck up some more Guiness while America starves.
Just keep on doing what your doing and well be flushing you and a lot of your cronies down the political toilet in 2012. Ker-flushhhhh.
As of the end of May, 2011 our president has been in office 29 months and has played 71 rounds of golf or an average of one round every other week. The President played a dozen of these rounds while vacationing in Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard. President Eisenhower averaged 2 rounds a week and President Clinton averaged 1 round a week.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56305.html
Edward, call your supervisor, and demand some new bull@!$%# to spread. They can't seriously expect you to keep using this same tired old stuff, can they?
Do you really think that people are stupid enough to believe you when you mischaracterize State visits to our oldest European allies as "vacations"? Do you honestly believe that people have forgotten which Presidents in the last 30 years spent the most time actually on vacation? Do you think no one has the capability of looking up all the times this nonsense that dribbles out of your facehole has been debunked?
Do you honestly believe that no one noticed the President making fun of Donald Trump on a Saturday evening and announcing the destruction of the country's Number One Enemy the next day?
In short, Edward, do you really think that everyone in the country swills Rush Limbaugh and FOX & Friends?
Get some new material.
JC - It's clear that most non party-obedient sheep do notice what Obama does:
59 percent, a new high, gave Obama negative marks for his handling of the economy, up from 55 percent a month earlier.
Obama's approval rating on the deficit issue hit a new low of 33 percent, down 6 points since April.
Eighty-nine percent of Americans say the economy is in bad shape;
57 percent say the recovery has not started
66 percent said the United States was seriously on the wrong track.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110607/pl_nm/us_poll_obama
The whole golf thing is just too weak, at least he's conducting business while traveling around doing these things.
I remember GWB wouldn't even talk to the press most of the time and would disappear for a week at a time riding a mountain bike or clearing brush out of fence rows :)
Memories are just too short these days, I think all those drugs they are passing out in the public schools are working.
Is it class warfare to ask the affluent business owner to pay his workers more, provide better benefits, train and retain his workers, or in the alternative to keep his mouth shut when asked to pay more in taxes when his business doesn't provide an acceptable wage or he off shores his jobs, all the while his profits and affluence increase? Yeah, it's called a welfare state, but it's not the government who created it. It's capitalism run amok.
Yes, that is what it is :)
SHEEPLE, its not the politicians its the bankers.
Both are just as much to blame. The politicians are a bit moreso because they are the ones that people trusted to look after their interests and were betrayed.
Funny that anybody in the GOP would say this. These guys would exterminate every left leaning individual in the country if they could. They hate minorities and we know it. The only reason they have anything to do with them is for votes then they go out and say we should round them all up and either deport them or throw them in jail. The country is changing and the right wing is going to pay. This would be the reason they want to gather their arms and revolt against the half of the country that does not agree with their death and destruction mentality.
Ah, yes... the #1 rule in the liberal's playbook: play that race card! That's all you people can do. You still obviously can't make the distinct between LEGAL and ILLEGAL immigrants and would rather have the undocumented border jumpers continue to take advantage of our system while the country sells itself out to China to pay for it. People like YOU are the problem with this country.
Sean
"border jumpers"....what is it with you conservative/baggers?....when did the illegal population "increase"...that's right - under the last administration!
you may want to take note that the illegal population is decreasing under this administration!
Did "border jumpers" offend you? Too f'ing bad. It's an apt description for these people. And considering by the very definition of being "undocumented," you really have no clue how much the illegal immigrant population has increased or decreased in this country since Reagan last granted blanket amnesty to every illegal immigrant in the country (the single biggest mistake he ever made). So where's your reference proving that the illegal population is decreasing under this administration? Or do you just throw stuff out there and expect people to take it at face value because that's exactly what you do with Obama?
Sean
I've decided to include all the "facts" you do in your posts.....none!
1. border jumpers didn't offend me....where did I say that?.....another thing you make up?
2. don't even have to prove "illegal population is down"....it is common knowledge even among no nothing conservative/baggers like you...but you can google it....you know it is there.
Andrew,
Why would anyone get who has the right to vote get deported in the first place?? Are you talking about illegal aliens?? Guess what. They don't have a vote. Comprende??
If the illegal population is down it is only because they recognize America is circling the drain... hardly an accomplishment.
As I have repeatedly stated in many posts, I won't make it a long story again, we were arguing about the illegal immigration thing as long as I can remember, I recall discussions with friends in high school in the 70's about it.
I'm pretty much that ship has sailed to a large extent, there still needs to be improvements along those lines but even so the ones here should just be brought in to the system and be done with it after this long. At least maybe would decrease the whole anchor baby mentality you'd hope.
Of course to bring up another subject along the lines of beliefs there and how that relates to certain religious beliefs a lot of the time and the results, that is another subject too, oh well.
Obama was elected because the country was fed up with the republican ways. The sore losers will not let him enact his vision for the country, as he was elected to do, and they do everything they can to block, impede and halt any kind of change because they know better. Then they say Obama hasn't done anything. Why are they able to still run things? I guess if they win in 2012 we can look forward to a continued stalemate as Democrats return the favor.
You've proven once again that liberals have extremely short-term memories. Did you already forget that for the first two years of Obama's term, the DEMOCRATS controlled EVERYTHING? The House, the Senate AND the Executive branch. What exactly was stopping Obama then from "enacting his vision?" Do you even know what his vision is?
Sean was born 06/07/11 - The repubs had TOTAL CONTROL from 2000-2006, yes 2000-2006! And all they bitch about is Social Security, Medicare and Illegal Immigration.....but when they had POWER FOR 6 republickin years, THEY DID N.O.T.H.I.N.G. Try again repubs.....you like creating campaign slogans and posters, and that is all you are good for. 6 Years......6 Years.....raised the debt limit 6 times.....6 years.....6 years....wiped out federal surplus.... 6 years of power.....6 years......
Repeating "6 years" does nothing to make yourself look intelligent, "Honest." You just sound like a broken record. And the federal government had a BUDGET surplus for a single year when Clinton left office. Big. Freaking. Deal. That is NOT the same thing as the federal DEBT which you libs seem incapable of understanding. We had trillions of dollars of debt even before Clinton left office and even long before he took office. Your boy Obama has simply managed to increase that national debt by 25% in just his first year in office! Makes what the Republicans did from 2000-2006 with managing two different wars not look as bad by comparison, does it?
You must have forgotten how republicans were able to block so many things by threatening to filibuster. Dems are not monolithic like republicans. Republicans didn't get the nickname "PARTY OF NO' for nothing.
I know, "no" is such an awful word. Are you a parent? If your kid asks "Can I drink and drive?" do you tell them "yes?" "No" is an acceptable answer when the question is "Should we continue to spend money we don't have, increase the government for no necessary reason, and continue to sell ourselves out to China?"
The Democrats never controlled the Senate, because under the GOP's theory even the most trivial matters require 60 votes, and all nominations are held hostage until the GOP gets a favor in return. The stalled to prevent Al Franken from being seated. Then stalled after Ted Kennedy's death. They stalled by giving the impression that Sen. Olympia Snowe was negotiating in good faith on the health reform bill. Then along came Scott Brown and the Senate came to a complete halt. Now the Congress technically never adjourns to prevent Obama from making even recess appointments. The GOP intends never to vote, except on their terms. Watch "To Big to Fail" and realize that even a GOP president couldn't get his own party to vote to save the country.
Don't forget that they had Joe 'Flip-Flopper' Lieberman as an Independent, but he caucused with the Dems.
There was NO 60-seat majority. To claim otherwise either demonstrates your ignorance, or is a lie.
We will never forget nor forgive that pariah.
Obama haters are just haters, their opinion really doesn't matter because they use their opinions to justify their hate, their votes shouldn't count either because they also vote with their hate... It doesn't matter what President Obama accomplishes the right and the haters will deminish it, re-write history, whatever it takes. Because of their hate, they are "UN-American".
Sean, No is not always a bad word you are correct. I tell my 16 month old daughter that when she reaches towards some hot food on my plate. The word no however should never be used in politics. Politics is all about people with different opinions and different viewpoints comming together and figuring out what is best for the entire country the best they can. When one side is putting together an idea or a plan and all they hear back is "no" it does not work. Nothing can get done which hurts everyone except those who are just trying to score political points. Do you watch C-Span at all? Or have you read transcripts of sessions? Lets go back to the health care act as a prime example, Obama specifically asked over and over again what is wrong with the plan that was on the table that had taken months to get, and how can we fix it, and the ONLY response he got back was we need to start over. No one ever said specifically why, or what specificially was wrong with it, or what specifically they would like to see instead, or any real non-rhetoric ideas whatsoever. If an entire party has no specific plan besides lets just say no and repeat a lot of non-specific rhetoric over and over again how is that constructive? How will that help anyone? If there are flaws that you see in anything that has happened since Obama has been President go call up your republican party leaders and ask them why they didn't give any real input or provide any specific things to make it work for them too, instead of just saying no like a toddler over and over again.
Bush also refused to put the wars on the budget, they just weren't there, big blank spot, and the total dropped. Of course he was emptying our coiffures for his Blackwater buddies, but shhh... that wasn't official so his debt was really REALLY low!
Lib50 - "Republicans didn't get the nickname "PARTY OF NO' for nothing."
You're correct it wasn't "for nothing", it was a simple catchphrase issued that the Dems knew required zero thought and parrots could simply repeat.... exactly like their directive to "always call tea party members extreme".... something simple can be easily pronounced and parroted with no need to understand anything important.
What is the Dems response to being financially responsible and NOT raising the debt ceiling? It couldn't be "NO" could it? but they said "NO" is a bad word didn't they? It's confusing for you isn't it?
Are you still supposed to repeat the catch phrases when they apply to Dems themselves? better wait for Dem caucus to issue the latest "strategy".
It seems you forget things too, like they didn't have the control you're claiming to the degree they could prevent filibusters.
I guess Wm pointed that out though when reading up.
To Big to Fail is an excellent movie, even if you only believe half of what is in it, and I get the feeling it's pretty accurate to begin with.
Same old dog & pony show from the repubes:
The repubes created "death panels" and blamed them on the Pres.
The repubes make a racist comment and say "the dems took it out on context". (spit on this)
The repubes say the American people want "jobs", then say "so be it" if AMERICANS lose jobs.
The repubes create vouchers for the elderly and say "the dems are killing granny".
Repubes are the tobacco!
Remember, Pawlenty is from Minnetonka. Drink a Koch bro!
"Repubes" -- what are you? 12 years old? And do you have any evidence to back up your "make a racist comment" claim or are you just simply throwing the same old, tired race card argument out there? Obama doesn't have to play the race card himself when all the sheep who follow him do it for him on a daily basis. Yeah, you guys really are all about "unity" right? What a crock.
How about your "white house lapel pins" or how about spitting on an African American congress man, or how about them billboards, or the Obama monkey......does the shoe fit yet, cinderella? If ya need more...look into your mirror!
Ah yes, because libtards always take the moral high ground, right? Like spitting on our troops returning from Vietnam and calling them baby killers? Or creating numerous images of George Bush made to look like Hitler and saying he should be charged with war crimes?
lying to congress to start a war sounds like a war crime to me...
Democrats are in big trouble. I smell desperation in the air as they search for any wedge issue that will pull attention away from Obama's dismal record.
Fact is, as time runs out, Obama just continues to fail at an accelerated rate. Continues to insert his foot deep into his mouth.
Watch as every Democratic congressman and woman tries to distance themselves from him. He has become political poison. C'mon 2012.
So what does entering a 3rd war without congressional approval sound like to you? or did you voluntarily render yourself deaf to avoid the unpleasantness of realizing your hypocritical behavior?
That's pretty good you bash someone for saying a slang Republican term then start doing the same yourself.
Good form :)
Well, Mr. Pawlenty, maybe your party should stop making war on the lower and middle classes, then. Perhaps that will quiet this talk of class warfare that disturbs you so.
Oh, that's right, you all just doubled down on your war again: It's called The Republican Budget Plan. You own it, no matter how much you would like to disavow it for campaign purposes. In it, you attempt to take money given by the lower classes to ensure their health care in retirement, and transfer it to your friends in the top class. Looks like an act of war to me.
Pawlenty learned his lessons from Kapitan Karl well: Always accuse your opponent of exactly what you, yourself, are doing.
comical leftnut talking point; Blue states destroy the middle class
LOL @ Rob, NO, Blue States SUPPORT red states. Go ahead, look up and see who contributes more money, and who takes more.
We'll wait...
Laughable, ain't it?
hahaha, red states are the ones that take more then they give in federal funding and the blue states give more then they take... I would say this is mostly due to infrastructure but with the corruption and stupidity I'm seeing from the reds it wouldn't surprise me if that was the cause...
Obama just fights for union thugs, take a look at where the stimulus money was spent. If there is anyone lifting one class of undeserving people over another, it is the Democratic Party. Inflated wages for lazy workers. I know all union workers are not dishonest but the majority is guilty of robbery of tax payers money, I've seen it with my own eyes. Unions are the reason California would do the USA a favor if it feel off into the ocean. Arnold was an idiot for not standing-up to unions.
While both kids, I mean political parties, blame each other, the country is burning.
Very true unforgiven - but the repubs made it clear and proudly said they would not compromise with democrats, they met and agreed to filibuster everything and vowed to make Obama look like the worst pres ever. Which side is proud of itself for being a lowlife anti-American?
doesn't matter to them as long as they win... hopefully america will see that dumb game.
Most real Americans see the "dumb game" perfectly well:
59 percent, a new high, gave Obama negative marks for his handling of the economy, up from 55 percent a month earlier.
Obama's approval rating on the deficit issue hit a new low of 33 percent, down 6 points since April.
Eighty-nine percent of Americans say the economy is in bad shape;
57 percent say the recovery has not started
66 percent said the United States was seriously on the wrong track.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110607/pl_nm/us_poll_obama
Pawlenty is CORRECT of course; but not just Obama; the Democrat Party as a whole is addicted to race and class warfare; pandering and patronizing and demonizing
First of all, it's the Democratic Party, you stooge! You obviously are a Limbaugh ditto-head. The only political party conducting class warfare is the Teapublicans (or Republicrooks...take your pick) who would just love to completely destroy the American middle class! Get your facts right, joker!
of COURSE it's true; the Democrat Party cant survive without race and class warfare
And let's not forget they also want to keep people as uneducated and as dependent on government as possible instead of teaching them how to depend on themselves.
Really? Funny, I've never read that in the manual. You have some proof to back your claims?
(hysterical, left wants to keep people uneducated by SPENDING MORE ON EDUCATION!?!) See, LAUGHABLE.
Just because you throw money at it doesn't mean it's fixing anything. All it's doing is putting more money into the teacher's unions who then turn around and give it to the campaigns of their Democratic representatives. The education system is a slush fund, just like the "stimulus" bill.
An interesting theory, that has nearly zero basis in fact. I will agree that some teachers unions make them less accountable for their actions, but the idea that putting LESS money into education will improve it makes NO sense.
Ugh more of the hypocritical crap about how we don't need to pay teachers a living wage and how education doesn't need money because "I R not Have an Edumacation and I can speak good."... never mind that other country's are blowing past us in education.
Education is a slush fund after your original statement is really seriously laughable.
You really need to get a clue.
another accurate description of Democrats